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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · content · sharp · roll · patient · rest · mark · calf

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rest — a break
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — a trace
  9. roll — a list
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rest — what's left
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — the amount
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. content — happy
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com